Electrical connector

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector includes a first insulating housing having a base board and a tongue board extending forwards from a front of the base board. Two opposite sides of the base board extend downward to form a pair of clamping boards spaced from each other. A second insulating housing is assembled to the first insulating housing. The second insulating housing has a base portion resisting against rear edges of the clamping boards. A tongue portion protrudes forwards from a front of the base portion to be clamped between the clamping boards. A terminal group includes a plurality of flat terminals and a plurality of spring terminals. The flat terminals are molded in the first insulating housing and the spring terminals are molded in the second insulating housing. A metal shell encloses both the first insulating housing and the second insulating housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and moreparticularly to an electrical connector capable of improving thesoldering between terminals thereof and a circuit board.

2. The Related Art

A traditional electrical connector generally includes an insulatinghousing, a terminal group and a shielding shell. The insulating housinghas a base body and a tongue portion protruding forward from a middle ofa front of the base body. Top and bottom of the tongue portion define aplurality of first terminal grooves and second terminal grooves. Eachterminal groove penetrates rearward through the base body. The terminalgroup includes a plurality of flat terminals and a plurality of springterminals. The flat terminals are molded in the first terminal groovesand the spring terminals are molded in the second terminal grooves. Theshielding shell encloses the insulating housing. However, the flatterminals and the spring terminals are molded in the insulating housingin a manner of double-row layout. As a result, it often affects theprocess of soldering the terminals with a circuit board, and evenaffects a wiring layout of the circuit board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connectoradapted for connecting with a circuit board. The electrical connectorincludes a first insulating housing having a base board and a tongueboard extending forwards from a front of the base board. Two oppositesides of the base board extend downward to form a pair of clampingboards spaced from each other. A second insulating housing is assembledto the first insulating housing. The second insulating housing has abase portion resisting against rear edges of the clamping boards. Atongue portion protrudes forwards from a front of the base portion to beclamped between the clamping boards. A terminal group includes aplurality of flat terminals and a plurality of spring terminals. Eachflat terminal has a first fastening strip, a first contact portion and afirst soldering tail connected with a front end and a rear end of thefirst fastening strip in a step manner respectively. The first fasteningstrips are molded in the base board and the tongue board of the firstinsulating housing. The first contact portions are exposed in a front ofa bottom of the tongue board. The first soldering tails project behindthe first insulating housing. Each spring terminal has a secondfastening strip. A second contact portion curves upward and thenslantwise extends forward from a front end of the second fastening stripwith a free end thereof arched downward. A second soldering tail bendsupward and then extends rearward from a rear end of the second fasteningstrip. The second fastening strips are molded in the second insulatinghousing. The second contact portions elastically project out of thebottom of the tongue board and are located behind the first contactportions. The second soldering tails project behind the first insulatinghousing and are aligned with the first soldering tails alternately inline to make the soldering tails of the terminal group show a single-rowlayout for being soldered with the circuit board. A metal shell enclosesboth the first insulating housing and the second insulating housing.

As described above, the second soldering tails of the spring terminalsproject behind the first insulating housing and are aligned with thefirst soldering tails of the flat terminals alternately in line to makethe soldering tails of the terminal group show a single-row layout, soit is convenience to solder the soldering tails with the circuit boardand further advantageous for a wiring layout of the circuit board.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art byreading the following description thereof, with reference to theattached drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an assembled perspective view showing that an electricalconnector is connected with a circuit board in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are exploded perspective views of the electricalconnector shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of the electrical connector ofFIG. 1 viewed from another angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, an electrical connector according to anembodiment of the present invention is connected with a circuit board60. The electrical connector includes a first insulating housing 10, asecond insulating housing 20, a terminal group 30, a metal shell 40 anda metal cover 50.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the first insulating housing 10 has a base board11 and a tongue board 12 extending forwards from a front of the baseboard 11. Two opposite sides of the base board 11 extend downward toform a pair of clamping boards 14 spaced from each other. Bottom ends ofthe clamping boards 14 protrude downward and outward to form two firstholding blocks 111. A bottom of the base board 11 defines a positioninggroove 112. Two inner sides of the clamping boards 14 define a pair offastening grooves 113. A front of a bottom of the tongue board 12defines a plurality of first terminal grooves 121. A plurality of secondterminal grooves 122 is opened in the bottom of the tongue board 12 andarranged behind the first terminal grooves 121, with each extendinglongitudinally. A top of a rear of the base board 11 extends rearward toform a propping board 13 with two sides thereof being further elongatedsideward. The two elongated sides of the propping board 13 protrudedownward to form a pair of insertion pillars 131. A pair of firstbuckling structures 132 is provided to the two elongated sides of thepropping board 13.

The second insulating housing 20 is assembled to the first insulatinghousing 10, and has a base portion 21 resisting against rear edges ofthe clamping boards 14. A tongue portion 22 protrudes forwards from afront of the base portion 21 to be clamped between the clamping boards14. Two opposite ends of a bottom of the base portion 21 protrudedownward and outward to form two second holding blocks 211 of which eachis in alignment with the corresponding first holding block 111longitudinally. A top of the tongue portion 22 protrudes upward to forma positioning block 221 fastened in the positioning groove 112. A bottomof the second insulating housing 20 is concaved upward to form twoblocking grooves 222. Two opposite sides of the tongue portion 22oppositely protrude sideward to form two fastening wedges 223 buckled inthe fastening grooves 113.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, the terminal group 30 includes a plurality offlat terminals 31 and a plurality of spring terminals 32. Each flatterminal 31 has a first fastening strip 311, a first contact portion 312and a first soldering tail 313 connected with a front end and a rear endof the first fastening strip 311 in a step manner respectively. Thefirst fastening strips 311 are molded in the base board 11 and thetongue board 12 of the first insulating housing 10, wherein the one inthe middle of the first fastening strips 311 is substantially of astraight strip shape and others are curved sideward away from the middlefirst fastening strip 311. The first contact portions 312 are exposed inthe first terminal grooves 121 of the tongue board 12. The firstsoldering tails 313 project behind the first insulating housing 10. Eachspring terminal 32 has a second fastening strip 321. A front end of thesecond fastening strip 321 is curved upward and then slantwise extendsforward to form a second contact portion 322 of which a free end isarched downward. A second soldering tail 323 bends upward and thenextends rearward from a rear end of the second fastening strip 321. Thesecond fastening strips 321 are molded in the second insulating housing20. The second contact portions 322 are received in the correspondingsecond terminal grooves 122 of the first insulating housing 10, with thefree ends thereof elastically projecting beyond the bottom of the tongueboard 12. The second soldering tails 323 project behind the firstinsulating housing 10 and are aligned with the first soldering tails 313alternately in line to make the soldering tails 313, 323 of the terminalgroup 30 show a single-row layout for being soldered with the circuitboard 60.

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the metal shell 40 encloses both thefirst insulating housing 10 and the second insulating housing 20. Themetal shell 40 has a bottom plate 42, two side plates 43 and two topplates 41 engaged with each other. The top plates 41 of the metal shell40 are shorter than the side plates 43 and the bottom plate 42 inlength. Two sides of a rear of the bottom plate 42 are die-cut upward toform a pair of blocking slices 421 buckled in the blocking grooves 222of the second insulating housing 20 respectively. The rear of the bottomplate 42 and rears of the two side plates 43 are disconnected with oneanother to define a pair of holding gaps 422 therebetween forrespectively holding the first holding block 111 and the correspondingsecond holding block 211 therein. The rears of the side plates 43 areoppositely punched outward to form a pair of second buckling structures431. Top edges of the rears of the side plates 43 oppositely extendoutward and then bend downward to form a pair of soldering feet 432 ofsubstantial inverted-L shape. The side plates 43 of the metal shell 40are further die-cut outward to form a pair of flat soldering slices 433.The bottom plate 42, the side plates 43 and the top plates 41 of themetal shell 40 are die-cut inward to form a plurality of resisting arms44.

Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the metal cover 50 has a flat cover plate 51.Two sides of a rear of the cover plate 51 are oppositely elongatedsideward and then bent downward to form a pair of first lockingstructures 52. Two sides of a front of the cover plate 51 bend downwardto define a pair of second locking structures 53. The cover plate 51 iscovered on the base board 11 and the propping board 13 of the firstinsulating housing 10. The first locking structures 52 and the secondlocking structures 53 are buckled with the first buckling structures 132and the second buckling structures 431 respectively to secure the metalcover 50, the metal shell 40 and the first insulating housing 10together.

Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the circuit board 60 defines a pair ofsoldering slots 61 and a pair of insertion holes 62. The electricalconnector is embedded in the circuit board 60, with the soldering feet432 of the metal shell 40 being inserted in the soldering slots 61 to besoldered with the circuit board 60, and the soldering slices 433 beingsoldered on the circuit board 60 respectively. The insertion pillars 131of the first insulating housing 10 are inserted in the insertion holes62 to secure the electrical connector and the circuit board 60 together.

As described above, the second soldering tails 323 of the springterminals 32 project behind the first insulating housing 10 and arealigned with the first soldering tails 313 of the flat terminals 31alternately in line to make the soldering tails 313, 323 of the terminalgroup 30 show a single-row layout, so it is convenience to solder thesoldering tails 313, 323 with the circuit board 60 and furtheradvantageous for a wiring layout of the circuit board 60.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrical connector adapted for connectingwith a circuit board, comprising: a first insulating housing having abase board and a tongue board extending forwards from a front of thebase board, two opposite sides of the base board extending downward toform a pair of clamping boards spaced from each other; a secondinsulating housing assembled to the first insulating housing, the secondinsulating housing having a base portion resisting against rear edges ofthe clamping boards, and a tongue portion protruding forwards from afront of the base portion to be clamped between the clamping boards; aterminal group including a plurality of flat terminals and a pluralityof spring terminals; each flat terminal having a first fastening strip,a first contact portion and a first soldering tail connected with afront end and a rear end of the first fastening strip in a step mannerrespectively, the first fastening strips being molded in the base boardand the tongue board of the first insulating housing, the first contactportions being exposed in a front of a bottom of the tongue board, thefirst soldering tails projecting behind the first insulating housing;and each spring terminal having a second fastening strip, a secondcontact portion which curves upward and then slantwise extends forwardfrom a front end of the second fastening strip with a free end thereofarched downward, and a second soldering tail bending upward and thenextending rearward from a rear end of the second fastening strip, thesecond fastening strips being molded in the second insulating housing,the second contact portions elastically projecting out of the bottom ofthe tongue board and being located behind the first contact portions,the second soldering tails projecting behind the first insulatinghousing and being aligned with the first soldering tails alternately inline to make the soldering tails of the terminal group show a single-rowlayout for being soldered with the circuit board; and a metal shellenclosing both the first insulating housing and the second insulatinghousing.
 2. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein theone in the middle of the first fastening strips is substantially of astraight strip shape and others are curved sideward away from the middlefirst fastening strip.
 3. The electrical connector as claimed in claim1, wherein a bottom of the base board defines a positioning groove, twoinner sides of the clamping boards define a pair of fastening grooves, atop of the tongue portion protrudes upward to form a positioning blockfastened in the positioning groove, two opposite sides of the tongueportion oppositely protrude sideward to form two fastening wedgesbuckled in the fastening grooves.
 4. The electrical connector as claimedin claim 1, wherein the front of the bottom of the tongue board definesa plurality of first terminal grooves for exposing out the first contactportions therethrough, a plurality of second terminal grooves is openedin the bottom of the tongue board and arranged behind the first terminalgrooves, each second terminal groove extends longitudinally forreceiving the corresponding second contact portion therein.
 5. Theelectrical connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein a bottom of thesecond insulating housing is concaved upward to form two blockinggrooves, the metal shell has a bottom plate, two side plates and two topplates engaged with each other, two sides of a rear of the bottom plateare die-cut upward to form a pair of blocking slices buckled in theblocking grooves respectively.
 6. The electrical connector as claimed inclaim 5, wherein bottom ends of the clamping boards protrude downwardand outward to form two first holding blocks, two opposite ends of thebottom of the base portion protrude downward and outward to form twosecond holding blocks of which each is in alignment with thecorresponding first holding block longitudinally, the rear of the bottomplate and rears of the two side plates are disconnected with one anotherto define a pair of holding gaps therebetween for respectively holdingthe first holding block and the corresponding second holding blocktherein.
 7. The electrical connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein theside plates of the metal shell are die-cut outward to form a pair offlat soldering slices, top edges of rears of the side plates oppositelyextend outward and then bend downward to form a pair of soldering feetof substantial inverted-L shape, the circuit board defines a pair ofsoldering slots, the electrical connector is embedded in the circuitboard with the soldering slices being soldered on the circuit board andthe soldering feet being inserted in the soldering slots to be solderedwith the circuit board.
 8. The electrical connector as claimed in claim5, wherein the bottom plate, the side plates and the top plates of themetal shell are die-cut inward to form a plurality of resisting arms. 9.The electrical connector as claimed in claim 5, further comprising ametal cover having a cover plate, two sides of a rear of the cover plateare oppositely elongated sideward and then bent downward to form a pairof first locking structures, two sides of a front of the cover platebend downward to define a pair of second locking structures, a top of arear of the base board extends rearward to form a propping board withtwo sides thereof being further elongated sideward, a pair of firstbuckling structures are provided to the two elongated sides of thepropping board, the top plates of the metal shell are shorter than theside plates and the bottom plate in length, the rears of the side platesare oppositely punched outward to form a pair of second bucklingstructures, the cover plate is covered on the base board and thepropping board, the first and the second locking structures are buckledwith the first and the second buckling structures respectively.
 10. Theelectrical connector as claimed in claim 9, wherein the two elongatedsides of the propping board protrude downward to form a pair ofinsertion pillars, the circuit board defines a pair of insertion holes,the electrical connector is embedded in the circuit board with theinsertion pillars being inserted in the insertion holes respectively.